Potato & Kale Pie

This is a re-work of my mom's scalloped potatoes.  Depression food.  I changed the name to get my now adult children to eat it even though they knew it was a version of the scalloped potatoes I was raised on.  "Something about the word scalloped" my daughter said.  I think it is incredibly good.

I make it often switching up various fresh herbs and vegetables layered with the potatoes.  The thinly sliced layers of onion, herbs etc are sprinkled with salt, pepper, flour and a bit of butter and then scalded milk is poured over.  It bakes up thickened without the need to make a white sauce or used canned cream soup.  Leftover chopped ham is also a popular addition between the layers.

This is an "about" recipe. The measurements aren't exact. You just make the number of pies/pans you want. The leftovers re-heat so well it shouldn't be a problem getting people to eat it up later.

Click on this link to get a printable recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

Per 9 inch (23 cm) pie plate

2 medium large potatoes, washed, but peel on, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
a few cups of kale, chopped.  Remove the stem if it is tough
1 small zucchini or patty pan squash, rutabaga or turnip, sliced same thickness of the potatoes
I medium onion, sliced thin
potato flour between layers, about a 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) per layer - use any flour - I use gluten free potato or brown rice flour
sprinkle of salt and pepper and a bit of butter between the layers
minced herbs between the layers - I like sage and thyme leaves but use what you have on hand
1+ clove garlic, minced also spread between the layers
2 cups scalded milk to pour over - 500 ml
Top with grated cheese like old cheddar.

METHOD:
1.  Butter, oil or spray two 9 inch pie plates (2 inch deep).  I use butter as it is traditional for old school scalloped potatoes.
2.  Slice potatoes, kale, turnip/rutabaga and onion.  Peel on for potatoes and the onion gets cut into rings.  Make potato and rutabaga slices similar size pieces so they have similar cooking times.



3.  Put the milk in a saucepan and heat over medium high heat to scald which is just before boiling.  Whisk along the way.  Don't boil the milk as it can clump.
4.  Mince fresh herbs and set aside.
5.  Grate or slice cheese and set aside.
6.  To assemble place layer of potatoes over bottom of pan.  Sprinkle with some of the onions, chopped kale and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, minced herbs and the flour.  Dot with layer with a bit of butter.





7.  Add layer of rutabaga and repeat step 6.

8.  Sprinkle cheese over top and bake at 300'F for 45-60 minutes or until sauce is thickened and cheese is lightly browned.  Believe it or not I couldn't find the grater so the cheese got sliced.  Dig around the fridge and use the odds and sods of cheese that need to be used up.

Option:  Ham is a nice addition between layers. 

Yours in good taste,
© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
http://nancyguppy.com/

Leftover Mashed Potato & Chive Patties

Here's one of my favourite uses for leftover mashed potatoes and they are always a hit. Growing up my mom would make these with onions and just S and P.  I have jazzed up the seasoning a little. The measures are approximate. I served them above with a green salsa verde made with tomatillos and fresh garden chives. Sour cream or thick Greek yogurt is also great.  They are also very good with chutney or even humble ketchup. Lots of options with this easy and versatile recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

Makes approximately 8 1/2 cup - 125 ml patties
3 cups (750 ml) mashed potatoes, leftover
1/3 cup (175 ml) plain yogurt
1 egg, medium, beaten
1/4 cup (60 ml) each minced parsley and sliced chives
2 Tbsp (30 ml) flour - I like chickpea or brown rice flour but if you don't need a GF version any flour will do
Optional: salt, pepper, curry powder, paprika etc.
Vegetable oil for frying

METHOD:

1. If you don't have leftover mashed potatoes then cut potatoes in about 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Smaller pieces cook faster.  I leave the peel on for extra fibre and nutrients.  Wash in cold water. Add to medium pot.  Cover with cold water and lid and bring to boil over medium high heat. Uncover, reduce heat and cook on low boil until potatoes are fork tender. Drain potatoes.  Mash with the yogurt in a large bowl.

2. Top potatoes with the beaten egg, minced parsley and chives. Mix well. Sprinkle with flour and mix again. I like to use my "clean" hands.

3. Divide mixture into eight using a scant 1/4 cup (60 ml) measure for each patty. Use your hands to shape into patties about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Set aside on plate.  In the picture below I used 1/2 cup measure (125 ml) as I wanted them bigger for less frying and less oil as we were working in the garden.

4. Add oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium high heat. You can use more than one skillet if you wish to cook them all at one time. I use 2 Tbsp (30 ml) to start and add more as needed. You could use non-stick pan but I prefer the cast iron pan.  Arrange patties in pan. Fry until golden brown about 5-7 minutes per side. Add more oil along the way if needed.

5. Serve patties topped with your choice of garnishes and condiments.

Tomatillos growing in my Nipissing garden.

NUTRITION FACTS (per patty or 1/8th of recipe):  110 calories, 6 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 25 mg sodium, 125 mg cholesterol, 12 g carbohydrate, 1 g fibre, 1 g sugar, 3 g protein.  %Daily Values: 6% vitamin A, 25% vitamin C, 6% calcium, 4% iron.

Yours in good taste,
© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc

http://nancyguppy.com/

Egyptian Mint Potato Salad

I love all kinds of potato salad but this is one of my favourites. It uses garden mint that is so plentiful in spring.

This is a simple recipe and good hot, warm or cold! I first had this at a dinner party at Donna Gray's in Callander. It was years ago now but she had hosted an Egyptian dinner theme as part of our gourmet girls cooking club. This dish goes well with vegetable or chicken kabobs.

INGREDIENTS:
6 each red potatoes - I used organic
1/4 cup (60 ml) mint, fresh - I used spearmint
2 each garlic, cloves, crushed
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil, XV, cold pressed
1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar

METHOD:

1. Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces. Boil until fork tender and add to serving bowl. I tend to cook them slightly mushy and until the skins are splitting so that the sauce absorbs into the potatoes better.  I leave the peels on for extra nutrition and fibre.

2. Mince fresh mint and add to bowl.  I also used some sliced garlic chive tops and sorrel leaves.

3. Crush garlic with salt using mortar and pestle and add to potatoes. Add good olive oil, vinegar and fresh ground black pepper. Toss well to coat. Garnish with sprigs of fresh mint.  Enjoy!

Optional additions include chives, sorrel kale etc. Slice kale into ribbons and quick blanch with potatoes when they are almost done cooking. I don't peel the potatoes unless they really need it as a lot of the fibre and nutrients are in the skin. All vinegars works nicely in this dish. Organic apple cider vinegar (Eden) tends to be my everyday vinegar but you can also use red or white wine vinegar.

NUTRITION FACTS (per 1 generous cup – 250 ml): 180 calories, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 25 g carbohydrate, 3 g fibre, 2 g sugar, 3 g protein.  %Daily Values: 2% vitamin A, 8% iron, 2% calcium, 30% vitamin C

Tastefully yours,

© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc

Seafood Stew (Slow Cooker)

Where I am it is cold, wet and rainy and definitely soup weather.  Here's my version of a French bouillabaisse.  I didn't call it that though as I made a lot of changes.  Historically a bouillabaisse was a fish boil made with salt water on the beach at the end of the day.  Enjoy!

Makes approximately 14 x 1 1/2 cup (375 ml) - 250 g servings.

INGREDIENTS:
2 leeks, bulb and lower leaf, sliced
6 potatoes, medium, with peel, chunks
1 Tbsp hot chile pepper, diced (optional) - 15 ml
1 Tbsp XV Olive oil - 15  ml
1 Tbsp butter - 15 ml
1/2 tsp fennel seed - 2.5 ml
1 tsp  paprika - 5 ml
1/4 tsp salt - 1.25 ml
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground - 2.5 ml
142 g can clams, with juice
1 lb haddock, raw - 450 g
2 bay leaves
6 or so sprigs of thyme, fresh (sub 1/2 tsp dried - 2.5 ml)
1 Tbsp oregano leaves, fresh (sub 1/2 tsp dried - 2.5 ml)
2 cups water - 500 ml
1/2 cup white wine - 125 ml
14 each shrimp, raw, large
2 tsp lemon peel/zest, fresh - 10 ml
Hard grating cheese like Pecorino Romano for garnishing bowls

PREPARATION:

1.  Slice leeks using the lower white part and some of the green.

Trim ends can be frozen for your next soup stock.

2.  Cut potatoes into 11/2 inch (4 cm) chunks and add to pot.  Potato chunks are larger as you don't want them to cook too quickly.

3.  Mince garlic and  hot red pepper (optional) and sprinkle over potatoes.

4.  Top with olive oil and a blob of butter.  Sprinkle fennel seed, paprika, salt and freshly ground black pepper over.

5.  Add the cans of diced tomatoes and clams with their juices to the pot and use spoon to mix well.  Use garden tomatoes if you have some - about 4 cups diced.  

6.  Lay fish fillets over.  You needn't cut them up as they will fall apart into smaller pieces as the stew cooks.  Below I used a mild flavoured pollack.  It would be great with lake fish like Pike or Pickerel but this was what I had on hand.

7.  Top with bay leaf, sprigs of fresh thyme and oregano.

8.  Pour water and white wine down the sides.

9.  Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours.

10.  Stir in shrimp and strips of yellow pepper.  Cover and cook another 30 minutes or until shrimp are cooked.   Stir in lemon zest.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

11.  To serve, ladle into bowls and serve with a good hard grating cheese like Pecorino Romano.

NUTRITION FACTS (per 1 1/2 cup - 375 ml): 140 calories, 2.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 280 mg salt, 18 g carbohydrate, 2 g fibre, 3 g sugar.   % Daily Values: 20% Vitamin A, 90% Vitamin C, 6% calcium and 25% iron.

(c) Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc.  

Visit my website to find out more about online nutrition counselling. http://nancyguppy.com/ 

Sorrel & Lovage Soup with Carrot Mint Puree

This is not the prettiest looking soup but the contrast amongst the various flavours more than makes up for the appearance.

Sorrel and lovage are hardy, spring perennials and ones you can rely on to eat early. Sorrel has a unique sour taste that is refreshing in soup. If you don't have it you can still make this soup using another green like kale, spinach or Swiss chard. Lovage usually replaces celery but in smaller amounts as it has a stronger flavour.

This recipe makes 8 large servings - about 2 cups/500 ml each

1 Tbsp olive oil - 15 ml
1 onion, red, large, chopped
4 cups sorrel leaves, shredded - 1 liter
4 cups potatoes, diced - 1 liter
1/2 cup lovage, sliced (substitute celery) - 125 ml
1 bay leaf
8 cups vegetable broth, preferably home-made - 2 liters
1/2 tsp salt - 2.5 ml
1/2 tsp pepper - 2.5 ml

Carrot Mint Puree:
2 cups carrots, diced - 500 ml
2 cups vegetable broth - 500 ml
2 Tbsp garden mint, minced - 30 ml

Garnish: 1/2 cup chives, minced - 125 ml
1. Saute diced onions in olive oil over medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes. Use a soup pot that has a lid. Then add the shredded sorrel, diced potatoes, sliced lovage and bay leaf and saute another few minutes. Add broth, cover and cook until the potatoes are tender.
2. Meanwhile make the carrot puree - cook diced carrots in broth in a small pot. Puree and season with finely minced gardent mint. Set aside.
3. Remove the soup from the heat and puree half of the soup. Return to heat and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you use a commercial vegetable broth you might not need the salt. Home-made is best!
4. To serve, ladel soup in bowl and place a scoop of the the carrot puree in the centre. Garnish each bowl with freshly snipped chives.

Optional additions: dill, garlic, oregano and/or rosemary. You can substitute lettuce, spinach or Swiss chard for all or some of the sorrel. Add a dollop of sour cream or yogurt as a garnish.

NUTRITION FACTS: 140 calories, 5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 520 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 6 g fibre, 6 g sugar, 5 g protein. %Daily Values are 180% vitamin A, 60% vitamin C, 8% iron and 15% calcium.

© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
http://nancyguppy.com/

Wild Leek and Warm Potato Salad

This week I am developing a series of simple recipes for a session I am doing soon with some of the teachers and high school students of the Near North School Board. I will help them learn more about healthy eating using local, seasonal foods. We will also use some foods that grow in the wild and are safe to eat.

This vinaigrette version of potato salad uses local honey, potatoes and wild leeks. I used last year's potatoes which were a bit raggedy so I peeled them. Had I been fortunate enough to have newer potatoes I would have boil them in their "jackets."

Makes 10 x 125 ml servings (1.25 liters)

10 medium size potatoes (about 6 cups) - 1.5 liter
1 cup wild leek leaves sliced or torn into strips - 250 ml
3 Tbsp local honey, heaping - 45 ml
2 Tbsp good mustard - 30 ml
2 Tbsp herb vinegar or other good quality vinegar - 30 ml
2 Tbsp olive oil - 30 ml

Cut the potatoes into cubes approximately 2 inches square (1 cm). Boil until fork tender and slightly mushy and drain. You can freeze the potato water for a nutritious vegetable broth for your next home-made soup.
Tear the garlic leaves into strips using your fingers (or slice into strips).
Whisk together dressing ingredients.
Toss very hot potatoes with the wild leek leaves and dressing. Serve warm. Garnish with more wild leeks if you wish.

Note: Adjust the dressing ingredients to suit your taste - if you prefer a less sweet salad you can reduce or omit the honey and/or increase the vinegar. I used a marjoram, purple basil and garlic vinegar blend I made up last summer when the herbs were fresh and plentiful. Cider or red wine vinegar would work well too.


NUTRITION FACTS (per 125 ml or 1/2 cup serving):120 calories, 3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 50 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate with 2 g fibre and 2 protein. %Daily Values are 35% vitamin C, 2% calcium and 6% iron.

Join me for a gourmet cooking class at Chapman's Landing Cooking Studio in Nipissing village.
© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
www.chapmanslanding.com

Grilled Maple Dijon Chicken & Potatoes - April's Maple Syrup

This recipe features local maple syrup but you can also use local potatoes, garlic and chicken. I choose Ontario potatoes in the store over PEI etc and I choose potatoes from local growers whenever possible. Azilda, Blezzard Valley and other growers around Sudbury usually have potatoes in our North Bay grocery stores. The Schlosser farm have Powassan grown potatoes for sale. If you want to buy local chicken you should search out a local farmer shortly as they usually want your order BEFORE they raise the chicken.

2 Tbsp mustard, dijon - 5 ml
3 Tbsp maple syrup - 45 ml
1/4 c + 1 Tbsp peach jam - 75 ml
2 Tbsp cider vinegar - 30 ml
1/2 tsp black pepper - 2.5 ml
4 each chicken breasts, bone-in - about 2 1/2 lb or 1 kg
4 each potatoes - 4 each
4 each garlic, cloves - 4 each
1 Tbsp olive oil, XV, cold pressed - 15 ml
1 each onion, red, fresh - 1 each
1 each red pepper, sweet - 1 each
1 Tbsp rosemary, fresh, minced - 15 ml


Preheat the grill to medium high.

1. Mix mustard, maple syrup, jam of your choice and vinegar together in bowl. Last year's peach jam works really well.
2. Preheat barbecue grill to medium heat. Place chicken on top shelf of barbecue and paint top side with sauce. Grill the chicken 10 minutes and flip and paint other side. Grill until thoroughly cooked. Baste with any extra sauce while cooking. Alternatively, the chicken can be cooked in the oven at 400°F(204°C). The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
3. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables by washing the potatoes and red pepper. Cut pepper and unpeeled potatoes into 8 wedges each. Cut onion into thin slices and mince the fresh garlic and rosemary. Toss everything with olive oil. Microwave for 10 minutes on HIGH power. Finish in grill basket with chicken.
4. To serve place chicken breasts in centre of platter and scatter cooked potatoes along outside. Decorate with a few small Canadian flags and serve.

Nutrition Facts (per 542 gram serving): 580 calories, 8 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 145 mg cholesterol, 340 mg sodium, 63 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 26 g sugar, 61 g protein. Daily Values: 50% vitamin A, 190% vitamin C, 8% calcium and 15% iron.